In just the blink of an eye a police officer can be put into a life or death situation and a radio is typically their only way of communication.

The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Department has recently given its deputies special smart phones and watches as a way to stay connected.

The phones and watches are part of "First Net" which gives the devices priority when the network is congested. It’s all to help send information, pictures and a GPS location much more quickly in a time of crisis.

“With a push of the button of this watch, our staff can immediately contact 911, leave an open line for 911 if they're fighting or struggling with somebody,” said Hillsdale County Sheriff Deputy Tim Parker. “911 can hear everything that is going on unlike having a phone and having to hold it up.”

John Wilmer has been a Hillsdale County Sheriff Deputy for more than two decades. He's feeling safer on patrol only being armed with a new smart phone and watch for a couple days.

“Usually we have our chest mics and we are attempting to communicate, it's broken, it’s hard, sometimes you lose your gear during a struggle and lose the ability to even radio for help,” said Wilmer.

The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Department got a look Friday at a new bulletproof vest insert.

If an officer's wounded it'll immediately notify dispatch and the department of the officer's name, even blood type.

“The message went out immediately to 911 and it also pinpointed a location where that officer was so on a map someone could send help for that officer who is down,” said Parker.

An investment not just in officers, but in the community they've sworn to serve and protect.

“If an officer has been assaulted in this manner to the point where they would potentially try to take their lives, that individual is going to pose a threat to our community,” said Parker. “The quicker we can get somebody there to help the officer and apprehend that individual, then we save our community.”

Police departments from across the state of Michigan, even Ohio were in Hillsdale Friday for the demonstration of the vest insert.

Many Michigan police departments already use “First Net” technology.

The AID System (Automatic Injury Detection by Select Engineering Services & DataSoft) consists of two Sensor circuits (front & back) that are inserted into the wearer’s bullet proof vest. The sensor circuit is a flexible Mylar panel that has a conductive ink circuit printed on it. A communications module is mounted to each panel. When the sensor panel is pierced by either a bullet, knife or shrapnel from an IED the communications module will sense the break in the circuit.

The communications module also opens up the mic on the users cell phone so you can listen in at the attack scene. The wearer can be totally incapacitated, this is all done automatically.

There are two communications options, single mode, cell phone only and dual mode, cell phone/radio. The single mode, cell phone option only transmits the alert via the users cell phone which sends an SMS message to preprogramed phone numbers and the dispatch center. The dual mode, cell phone/radio option, simultaneously transmits the alert via the user’s cell phone and through the user’s radio which transmits it across the entire radio network.

For privacy, the AID system does not continually track the individual, it only becomes active when the sensor circuit is broken.

A: 1 year- low battery notification is sent early when time to recharge.

Q: Does the alert go out regardless in the event of the officer’s cell phone not being connected to Wi-Fi or any signal?

A: The cell must have service or their radio, in the event you are cellular or radio denied.

Q: What apps/programs would need to be installed so that the officer’s medical information is on file?

A: Medical info stays with the phone in one of the fields you preset.

Q: Granted, the panel appears to be light weight, but how much does each panel weigh?

A: 2 ounces each panel, most cannot tell they are wearing AID.

Q: How does it connect to the officer’s cell phone?

A: Bluetooth 4.0 app available through the Android phone.

Q: It also appears that it will record multiple gunshots and where, is that correct?

A: Yes, 4 zones upper/lower front and back.

Q: My brother also asked, what if the battery pack is hit by gunfire, does the panel still work? Will it still send out a signal if the power supply is damaged?

A: If the com unit is hit, which is out of the 97% area you are shot as defined by Westinghouse, it will not work, nor will your radio or cell which is much larger.

Q: Does it fit all types of vests?

A: Yes, AID is conductive Ink (Artwork) so we customize the sensor to cover the same area as the Ballistic Panel in the body armor.

Q: When an officer is in a situation where the sheet has been penetrated, how do the departments go about getting the sheet replaced? Does this cost anything?

A: The department can contact us directly, it will be replaced free if it has been penetrated due to a shooting or knife attack. The one caveat is that we will need to be able to use the information about the attack and how the AID Technology helped in our marketing info and possibly on our web site. If we cannot they will have to purchase a new panel.

Q: Does AID change the ballistic effectiveness of body armor?

A: No, all the testing SES and DataSoft performed during testing, across most all the body armor manufactures, to include Body Armor that was more than ten years or more past its warranty, still stopped the bullets or performed as intended.

Q: Does AID have to re sync every time you turn off your cell phone or walk out of Bluetooth range?

A: No, once the sensors sync it maintains and reconnects and even provides a notification.

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